Type writing and matrix making machine



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. W. RENNYSON. I

TYPE WRITING AND MATRIX MAKING MAGHINE.

No. 403,075. Patented May 7, 1889..

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No. 403,075, Patented May 7, 1889.

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I TYPE WRITING AND MATRIX MAKING MACHINE. No. 403,075. Patented May 7,1889 (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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. TYPE WRITING AND MATRIX MAKING MAGHINE. No. 403,075. Patented May '7,1889 WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT DFFICE.

\VILLIAM RENNYSON, OF NORRISTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TYPE-WRITING AND MATRIX-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,075, dated May '7,1889.

Application filed December 17, 1888- Serial No. 293,868. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM RENNYsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inType-WVriting and Matrix-Making Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of my machinecomplete, one of the type-bars being depressed; Fig. 2, a horizontalsectional view of the machine, taken on the line a; 00 of Fig. 1; Fig.3, a vertical transverse sectional view of the lower part of themachine, taken on the line y y of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5, detail views ofthe escapement devices for automatically moving the carriagetransversely;

Figs. 6 and 7, detail views of the adjacent faces of the driving-pinionfor the carriage and the escapement-wheel, showing the ratchet andspring-actuated pawl; Fig. 8, a detail view showing the ratchet-wheeland spring-actuated pawl for rotating the advancing shaft of the platen;Fig. 9, a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of my machine,showing a slight modification of the method of adjusting the type-bars;Fig. 10, a detail perspective view of one of the jointed type-bars; Fig.11, a detail view of the device for simultaneously adjusting thetype-bars; Figs. 12 and 13, detail views of slightly-modified forms ofthe type-bar-opcrating devices; Fig. 14, a detail plan View of thenotched ring for supporting and steadying the type-bars; Fig. 15, adetail plan view of the key-board or manual; Fig. 16, a detail view ofthe thumb-screw and indicator for adjusting the escapement-Wheels.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements upontype-writing and matrix-making machines; and it consists in certainnovel features of construction and arrangement of parts, that will befully hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claimsappended.

The essential object of the invention is to provide extremely simple andcomparatively inexpensive arrangement or system of type bars and levers,whereby the type-bars, by a comparatively light blow or pressure uponthe operating-keys, will be positively and forcibly thrown or pressedagainst the impression-surface, thereby rendering it possible andpracticable to produce by the em ployment of the ordinaryfinger-operated keys an impact or blow of sufficient force to make deepand well-defined depressions in a stiff, plastic, or other substance toform a matrix from which to make printing-plates, as will more fullyhereinafter appear.

The invention is also designed to produce a simple and positivearrangement of devices for automatically adjusting the matrix, as willpresently appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by letters, A designates asuitable casing and supporting-frame, which is preferably cylindrical inshape, and B the platen for supporting the matrix or impression surface,which platen may either be a fiat plate or a cylinder, as may bedesiredin this instance a plate being employed.

The type-bars O are preferably each constructed of two sections, a a,hinged together at their connected ends, as shown. Each typebar ispivotally hung, as shown in Fig. 9, at its upper end to a screw, 6,provided with a thumb-nut, b, by means of which the type bars may beindependently vertically adjusted in order to regulate the depth orforce of their impression. In the present machine the arrangement oftype bars and keys is circular; but it is evident that I may arrangethem in any desired manner without in the least departing from theinvention. In their normal position the lower portions of the type-barsrest in notches in a ring, D, suspended over the platen by means of armsor supports D, this ring serving to confine and concentrate the lowersections of the type-bars, as shown. I adj ustably attach, by means ofsuitable clips c, a funnel-shaped cup, E, to the bottom of the ring D,this funnel serving to guide the'type-bars to their proper place uponthe impression-surface.

To steadily but yieldingly hold the lower sections of the type-bars intheir notches in the ring D, I may employ spiral springs d, as shown onthe right-hand side of Fig. 9, or small coil-springs d, as shown in Fig.10. This spring d is preferably placed at the joint of each type-bar andcoiled once or twice around the connecting-pivot, as shown, the two endsof the spring being adapted to press against the inner surfaces of theadj oining ends of the sections of the bar, and automatically andquickly return the lower section to its proper place in the ring D aftereach operation.

To forcibly operate the type-bars, I employ for each bar a pair oftoggle-levers, F, and pivotally connect the inner ends thereof to thetype-bars, (preferably near their upper ends, as shown in Fig. 1,) andtheir outer ends to the interior of the frame A. If it is desired toadjust the toggle-levers laterally, I may pivot their outer ends tosuitable screws, awhich pass through internally-screwthreaded thumb-nutsjournaled or mounted upon the main frame of the machine.

As shown in Fig. 13, the inner ends of the toggle-levers F may bepivotally connected to the joints of the type-bars, in which case thesections of the type-bars themselves will form another toggle.

The toggles are held up in their normal position by means of suitablespiral springs, G. These springs may either connect the toggles with theframe of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9, or they may be arrangedas shown in Figs. 12 and 13, as may be found most practicable. Any otherarrangement of springs may be employed for restoring the toggles andtype-bars to their normal position without departing from the invention.

The operating-keys K pass down through perforations in the top of thecasing and rest upon the toggles at their joints or knuckles, as shownin Figs. 1, 9, and 12, or to one side of the joints, as shown in Fig.13.

If it is desired to adjust the typebars simultaneously, they may bepivotally connected at their upper ends to a disk, I, as shown in Figs.1 and 11,which is adjusted vertically by means of a screw and thumbnutsupported on the top of the casing. By thus constructing the type-barsof two sections and pivotally connecting such sections together at theiradjoining ends each typebar is practically constituted a toggle-lever.Thus constituting each type-bar a toggle in itself and operating eachtype-bar by means of a toggle-lever it will be obvious that theadvantage of a compound toggle is obtained. By this arrangement oftoggle-levers and keys, it will be observed, the light force exertedupon the keys will be greatly augmented and increased, and the type-barswill be forcibly projected against the matrix or impressioil-surface.The machine may be employed either as a matrix-making machine or as atype-writer with equal advantage.

I will now describe the mechanism for antomatically operating oradjusting the platen B whenever any one of the keys is operated.

The platen consists of a suitable plate provided upon its under sidewith a longitudinal rack-bar,f. This platen fits snugly and reciprocatesbetween suitable flanges on the side edges of a carriage, J, thecarriage being in turn supported upon a pair of transverse rods, g g,secured or supported upon the frame of the machine. This carriage isadapted to move back and forth upon these 1O(lS,'L11(l is normally drawntoward one side of the machine by means of spiral springs g g,surrounding the said stationary rods and having their ends secured,respectively, to the frame A and carriage. This carriage is providedwith a transverse .rack'bar, h, on its under side, with which engages apinion or gear-wheel, K, mounted loosely on the end of a shorthorizontal shaft, L, this shaft being supported upon a pedestal, M. Thisshaft L and pinion K are adapted to be adjusted back and fortha limiteddistance for a purpose presently set forth, and the rack-bar h is wideenough to permit this to be done, the said pinion being held constantlyin engagement with the rack-bar in whatever position it may be. Also,mounted loosely on the short shaft L, close up to the face of thepinion, is an internally toothed escapementwheel, N, and clamped to theface of this wheel N, by means of small clamps i, are two or more ringsor wheels, N N, similar in construction to the wheel N, but having adifferent number of internal teeth.

Adapted to engage with the teeth of any one of these is avertically-vibrating escapement-lever, O, pivoted to a convenientportion of the machineframe. Pivotally and adj ustably connected to thislever O, at a suitable point, is a vertical rod, P, the upper end ofthis rod being adjustably connected to a vertically-movable ring, Q,which is arranged directly beneath the toggle-levers, and is adapted tobe moved down by the same whenever one of the keys K is depressed. Thevertical movement of this ring Q is communicated to the escapement-leverthrough the medium of the rod P, this rod being bent at a suitable pointto avoid interference with the platen B.

To prevent noise and disarrangement of the parts, I preferably cushionthe upper edge of the ring Q, as shown at 1?, and to restore the ringand its connected parts to their normal position after each operation Iemploy spiral springs Q, which connect the ring to the top of the frame.To steady and guide the ring Q in its vertical movements, I preferablyrigidly secure the same to four or more light vertical rods, R, whichpass through suitable guiding-apertures in the top of the casing, andare connected together at their lower ends by means of suitable bars,70, located below the carriage and platen, out of the way. To furtherguide and steady the ring in its vertical movements and prevent bindingand 1111- due friction, I may employ a vertical pin, R, in the center ofthe bottom of the casing and pass the same up through a verticalaperture in one of the bars 70. The vertical movement of the rods R andring Q may be regulated by means of screw taps or nuts upon the upperends of the said rods R.

The letter S designates a transverse hori- S, in a recess in the upperface of the carriage, 1s a pinion, T, which is adapted to rotate withthe said shaft, and at the same time be moved along the same with thecarriage, as is evident. This pinion T engages the rack-bar f on thebottom of the platen, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, and is adapted toadvance the same whenever the shaft S is r0- tated. Secured rigidly uponthis shaft S, near one end, is a ratchet-wheel, S, and adapted to engagewith the teeth upon the periphery of this wheel is a spring-actuatedpawl, m, pivoted to the lower end of a vertically-movable rod, L. Thisrod L passes up through the top of the casing, and is provided with akey, K, and a stop-collar, p, to regulate its vertical movement. Thisrod is automatically drawn up after each operation by means of aretracting-spring, p. By adjusting the collar 19 upon the rod L thedistance the platen B is to be advanced can be nicely determined.

The normal position of the escapement-lever is that shown in the detailviews, Figs. 4 and 5, in which position it engages one of the upperinternal teeth of one of the escapement -wheels N and prevents thespiral springs g g from drawing the carriage to one side, the gear-wheelK being prevented from turning by means of a spring-actuated pawl, g,secured on the face of the wheel N and engaging an internalratchet-wheel on the said gear-wheel, as shownclearly in Figs. 1, 6, and7. This ratchet arrangement permits the carriage to be drawn back to itsstartingpoint after each line of writing is finished without revolvingthe escapement-wheels, and at the same time causes the cog-wheel andescapement-wheels to rotate in unison while the carriage is moving inthe opposite direction. The tendency of the carriage being to movetoward the left (Fig. 3) of the machine, it will beobserved that everytime the escapement-lever is operated the carriage with its matrix willbe suddenly and quickly drawn toward the left a sufficient distance toproperly space the letter being used. To

employ a pinion, s, which is secured upon the end of a shaft, 3, andengages a rack-bar, 25, formed on the short shaft L. The shaft s ispreferably journaled upon an arm, a, formed upon the pedestal M, andupon its outer end it is provided with a thumb-disk, w, by which it isrotated in either direction. By rotating the pinion s the shaft L,carrying the'cogwheel K and escapement-wheels, may be readily moved backand forth in its bearing, thus enabling the operator to vary the spacingof the letters at will. To enable the operator to ascertain at aglancejust which one of the escapement-wheels is being employed, I provide anindicator, '1), on the outer end of the said shafts, as clearly shown inFig. 16. As each line of writing is completed, the carriage is drawnback to its starting-point by hand. platen the space of one line, theoperator simply depresses the key K, which operation, through the mediumof the rod L and its spring-actuated pawl, ratchet-wheel S, shaft S, andpinion T, advances the platen the desired distance, the advance movementof the platen taking place upon the return movement of the rod L, whichis drawn up by the spring p.

By means of the hereinbefore-mentioned stop-collar p the spaces betweenthe lines may be varied to suit the character of work desired.

As the details of construction of the machine herein described may bevaried somewhat without departing from the spirit of the invention, Idesire it understood that I do not intend to confine myself to the exactconstruction shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a frame, a circular series of toggle-levers,operatingkeys connected to the toggles, and a circular series oftype-bars pivotally connected to the said toggle-levers, as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination of a frame, a circular series of jointed type-bars,means for guiding these type-bars, a series of radial toggle-leverspivotally connected at their inner ends to the said jointed type-bars,operatingkeys, and springs for restoring the parts to their normalpositions, substantially as described. I

3. The combination of a casing, the Verticallyead j ustable type-bars,the adjustable toggle-levers radially arranged and connected to the saidtype-bars, and operating-keys connected to the toggle-levers.

4. The combination of a frame, a pivotallysupported jointed type-bardepending from the said frame, a toggle-lever pivotally connected tothis depending type-bar, an operating-key connected to the toggle-lever,and a spring for restoring the parts to their normal position, as andfor the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a frame, adepend When it is desired to advance theing pivotally-snpported type-bar connected to this frame, this type-barbeing constructed of two sections pivotally connected together at theiradjoining ends, a toggle-lever, F, pivotally connected at its inner endto the joint or knuckle of the said jointed type-bars, an operating-keyresting upon the said toggle-lever, and a spring for restoring the partsto their normal position, whereby the type-bar sections themselves forma toggle, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of a frame, type-bars, toggle-levers for operatingthe said type-bars, a vertically-guided ring arranged below the saidtoggle-levers and operated thereby, a depending o1;)erating-rod,P,connected to the said ring, a pivoted escapement-lever connected to rodP, a pinion provided with an internally-toothed escapelnent-wheel, and aspring-actuated carriage provided with a rack-bar upon its under sidecontrolled by said pinion and escapement, as and for the purposesspecified.

7. The combination, with a spring-actuated carriage provided with arack-bar upon its under side, of a shaft journaled below the saidcarriage, a pinion upon this shaft and engaging the said rack-bar uponthe carriage, two or more internally-toothed escapementwheels connectedto the said pinion, these escapelnent-wheels being provided with adifferent number of teeth, means for adjusting the said shaft, anescapement-lever constructed to engage the teeth of the saidesc1pement-whee1s,and means for operating the said escapement-lever,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM RENNYSON.

WVitnesses:

ALFRED L. CAREY, OHAs. D. DAVIS.

